America: Nation of Potheads (But Not So Much Crackheads)

September 16, 2010

A new national survey says that we’re a bunch of druggies here in the U.S. Well, some of us are. According to the report, illicit drug use rose from 8 percent of the population (over age 12, no pot-smoking babies included) in 2008 to 8.7 in 2009. They’re blaming the increase on weed, which most “young people” perceive as no biggie to use frequently — in fact, it’s the “first time since 2002 that less than half of young people perceived great harm in frequent marijuana use.”

What were we so afraid of in 2002? Paranoia.

In other drug stats, 2.8 percent of us are now hooked on prescription drugs, 760,000 of us are doing Ecstasy, and 502,000 enjoy meth. These figures all represent increases from 2008. Interestingly, cocaine use has declined 30 percent from 2006. Tell that to Paris Hilton.

The report was conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration who, in fairness, wouldn’t have much of a place to lay down their hats if we weren’t all smoking pot all the time. Help them, help you.